I can't believe it's been over a year since I last wrote anything on my cycling blog! I mean......wow! It's not wonder I was a bit worried and anxious. Putting on my cycling shoes, I just wasn't ready in my head really! But NaggingSister aka Bims, would not let up! Yup, shes back, long gone is that still quiet voice. Boom, nag nag nag nag from Bims! She started nagging from Thursday, "Lets go on a bike ride tomorrow" she says, all fecking smiley after our workout in the morning! "Come on, a nice social distance ride, any route you want" she says, as if that is going to encourage me! I said "I needed my white Giant, it has duel pedals so that I can choose to clip in on not" I informed her, "Yeah and, use it then" she said. "But I haven't got it, my daughter has it" I said smugly. "Then use your other bike, you'll be fine, come on, get it ready" "I need to pump the tires, it's all cleaned and ready to go" I said. My son cleaned my bike and oiled it for me only last week! But I still need the tyres pumped up. "Sigh AND!" she said shaking her head in disbelief and my next excuse! "Ok, well, go on Monday, Monday for sure, I will get it ready!!" I said.
So what happened on Monday, well it was my daughters birthday, I had a cake to cook and carefully take it to her for a social distance birthday get together! Oh how I missed my grandkids and daughters. Just to give them all a big hug, I can't wait for that! Anyway, of course that put paid to going for a bike ride yesterday. But blow me down, that same day, yesterday, in the evening, my daughter brought back my white bike! Feck it! No excuse now, the tyres are even pumped up, even though they could do with a few more pumps!
No excuses, no reason not to go, well none that I could think of anyway, I just had to go! The plan was to go riding today, everything fell into place, my bike, tyres pump (should have done a little bit more in hindsight) everything was perfect. Even the sun was shining, although there was a bit of a breeze about.
I went up and got ready, here look, this is me in my cycling gear! Long pants, I am just not ready to get my chunky knees out to all and sundry just yet! And besides, it's breezy, it will keep me warm. My NaggyingSister came to my road, already for our social distance ride. I thought it was going to be easy......easy to keep a 2m distance that is, because I knew she would be well in front of me! I told her my planned route, it took in just three parks, Jubilee, Kevs park (I've forgotten the name of it) and then Normans park......oo actually I did another park, because I went through my local park on the way home!
When I sat on my bike, I didn't find it entirely uncomfortable, which was a blessing. Maybe NaggyNeighbours bike is just not comfortable for me, not with my fat arse anyway. Maybe it's not going to be that bad of a ride after all! Things you say before you actually do them, right! Just getting up to first road I realised just how things have deteriorated on the cycling front! Yeah, yeah, the work out I did the other day with the youtube tabata ladies seemed easier the second time and I'm not puffing too much getting up the stairs! And thankfully haven't put on too much weight since lockdown started, but blimey, getting back on my bike was an eye opener. I realised just how much fitter I was when I was riding about more. I know now that I need to go back to when I first started riding my bike. That first outing to Farnborough Village, a sandwich at the pub and then ride home! I thought I was amazing then. I did that for a few weeks, then branched out to a pub further along the A21, the Royal Oak, having the most delicious sandwich, a bacon and brie! Oh my goodness, that was delicious! I miss going to the pubs! I wish there was a pub today! I would have so stopped to have a nice glass of cool non alcoholic something!
My route wasn't a particularly challenging one, in fact it was the most flattest route I could conjure up. Along Farringdon, up Southborough and then turn into Crest View to head for our first park! My legs were jelly by the time I got to Southborough and I still had to go up hill for a bit to get to the next road. I felt really pleased that I had my Giant with the flat/cleat pedals, it just gave me that little bit more confidence!
This cycling lark is going to take agest to get back to where I was, and I need to try and remember what fun I had on my bike too, not now, this felt like a chore, this felt like a bloody hard work out, one where I still had to get home before I could quit!
But at least it's a start! Small steps, that how I need it to be, NaggingSister to help me stay focused, a couple of understanding riding buddies,....oh did I not mention it.......NaggyNeighbour suggested going for a short ride too! On Friday! Feck what I have I done!
So geeky stats! Slow, I know but it's a start!
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